Fastening assembly for securing a strap handle to a handbag



Oct. 18, 1966 M. PAYNQE 3,279,512

FASTENING ASSEMBLY FOR SECURING A STRAP HANDLE TO A HANDBAG Filed Sept. 14, 1964 jzr 7' 72 65/5.

United States Patent 3,279,512 FASTENING ASSEMBLY FOR SECURING A STRAP HANDLE TO A HANDBAG Melvin Paynor, Providence, R.I., assignor to Fulford Manufacturing Company, Providence, R.I., a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Sept. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 396,245 Claims. (Cl. 15033) The present invention relates to a fastening assembly for securing a strap handle to a handbag. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fastening assembly for securing the end of. a carrying strap to a wall of a handbag wherein the strap end extends through an opening in the wall and is fixed in position by the fastening assembly.

The device embodied in the present invention is designed for use wit-h womens handbags and is not only ornamental in appearance with respect to the exterior portion thereof but further includes a securing element that positively retains the end of a carrying strap in locking relation on a wall of the handbag. The construction of the fastening assembly of the present invention is further designed so that the assembly thereof on the handbag wall is facilitated. Furthermore because of the interrelation of the component parts of the fastening assembly, the wall of the bag through which the end of the carrying strap projects is protected during carrying from rough handling and wear. The bag handling securing devices known heretofore have normally been secured directly to a wall of a handbag and thus depended upon the toughness of the material from which the wall was constructed for preventing tearing of the wall during handling of the handbag. These prior known construct-ions have proved to be inefficient in use and have further materially decreased the life of the handbag since the carrying strap had a tendency to become loose after only .a short period of use of the bag.

The present invention is unique in that an outer ornamental member and an inner locking member having a locking element secured thereto are designed to be interengaged on opposed surfaces of a wall of the handbag. By interlocking the outer and inner members in positive engagement with each other, stresses on the Wall of the handbag are reduced thereby decreasing the tendency of the carrying strap to tear through the wall of the handbag even after extended periods of wear and handling.

According it is an object of the present invention to provide a unique fastening assembly for securing the end of a carrying strap to the wall of a handbag.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the attachment of a carrying strap on a handbag by locking an inner and an outer member on opposed surfaces of a wall of the handbag.

Another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive handbag strap fastener which is not only ornamental in appearance but is structurally superior to those devices known heretofore.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handbag illustrating a carrying strap the ends of which are secured in place by fastening assemblies of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the ornamental outer member of the fastening assembly embodied here- FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the ornamental outer member;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the inner locking member of fastening assembly embodied herein;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective showing the opposite side of the inner locking member illustrated in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the assembly position of the fastening device of the present invention and further illustrating the end of the carrying strap in the locked position thereof; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines 77 of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1 a handbag of conventional construction and shape is illustrated and is generally indicated at 110. The handbag .10 includes a body portion that is defined by a front wall indicated at 12, a rear wall, bottom wall and side sections that are interconnected in any well-known manner, the bag walls and side sections being secured to a frame that defines the mouth of the bag. A latch 13 of any conventional construction cooperates with the frame of the bag to lock the bag in the closed position. It is understood that the construction and arrangement of the body portion that defines the handbag 10 may be varied in accordance with the requirements of the user, and the handbag illustrated in FIG. 1 is only representative of many styles and constructions that may incorporate the present invention to be described.

The purpose of the fastening assembly of the present invention is to lock carrying straps indicated at 14 in FIG. 1 in place on the walls of the body portion of the handbag. Each of the carrying straps 14 is provided with a strap end indicated at 16 in FIG. 1, each strap end 16 being secured to a fastening assembly generally indicated at 18 that is mounted in place on the wall :12 of the handbag body portion.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 an outer ornametal member generally indicated at 20 is illustrated and is adapted to be secured to the exterior surface of the Wall 12 of the handbag. The outer ornamental member 20 which is formed as part of the fastening assembly 18 may be formed in any desired configuration but as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is generally elliptical in shape. The elliptical outer ornametal member 20 is defined by a plate 22 in which a generally rectangular opening 24 is formed. The opening 24 is formed by striking out lugs 26 therefrom, which lugs as seen in FIG. 3 project rearwardly with respect to the plate 22 and are rounded on the outermost edges thereof. As will be described, the rearwardly projecting lugs 26 are adapted to be bent into engagement with an inner member for securing the fastening assembly 18 in position on the wall 12 of the handbag '10.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5 an inner locking member generally indicated at 28 is illustrated that is defined by a rectangularly shaped plate 30 in which an opening 32 is formed. The configuration of the opening 32 corresponds to that of the opening 24 that is formed in the outer ornamental member 20. Located adjacent to the opening 32 and formed in the inner surface of the plate 30 are depressions 34, the configuration of which generally corresponds to that of the lugs 26. As will be described, the lugs 26 are adapted to be bent into engagement with the plate 30 and are received within the depressions 34. Joined integrally to the plate 30 and depending therefrom is a curved locking finger 36 the outermost edge of which is serrated as indicated at 38. The width of the locking finger 36 is reduced with respect to the width of the plate 30 and is dimensioned to correspond to the width of the carrying strap 14. As will now be described, the locking finger 36 receives an end 16 of the carrying strap in engagement therewith for locking the strap 14 to the wall 12 of the handbag 10.

In preparing the wall 12 of the handbag for securement of the carrying strap 14 thereto, a suitable opening is formed in the wall that generally corresponds to the openings 24 and 32 that are formed in the outer ornamental member 20 and inner locking member 28. With the outer ornamental member 20 located on the exterior surface of the handbag wall 12, the lugs 26 project through the opening in the wall 12 and are received within the opening 32 of the inner locking member 28. The lugs 26 are then peened or bent over in an outer direction and are received within the depressions 34 of the inner locking member 28, thereby locking the outer and inner members in engagement with each other and to the wall of the handbag that is sandwiched therebetween. The end 16 of the strap 14 is then inserted through the openings in the outer member 20, handbag wall 12 and inner member 28 for engagement with the locking finger 36. As illustrated in FIG. 6 the locking finger 36 is bent to the locking position, the serrated edge 38 biting into the end 16 of the carrying strap 14. The carrying strap 14 is thus firmly locked in position by the locking finger 36 and it is seen that as tension is applied to the carrying strap 14 due to the weight of the handbag, the serrated edge 38 of the locking finger 36 will act to more firmly grip the end 16 of the carrying strap 14. Since the outer ornamental member 20 and inner locking member 28 are locked to each other through the interengagement of the projecting lugs 26 and the depressions 34, stresses resulting from carrying of the handbag will be absorbed by the outer and inner members themselves. Thus the heretofore known tendency of the fastening assembly to tear through the wall of the handbag is avoided and the fastening assembly 18 will remain in place so long as the outer and inner members are interengaged asillustrated.

It is understood that the outer ornamental member 20 may be formed of any suitable material and may be polished to a high finish for ornamental purposes. Furthermore the shape and configuration of the outer ornamental member 22 may be designed in accordance with the handbag design and the requirements of the user. By providing the two piece fastening construction as illustrated, a simple and efficient fastening assembly is defined that may be easily assembled in place and yet is extremely efficient in the use thereof.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structures embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept, and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described, except, insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fastening assembly for a handbag handle, an outer plate having an opening formed therein through which said handle projects, an inner member separable from said outer plate and having an opening formed therein that communicates with the opening in said outer plate, lugs formed on said outer plate and projecting through the opening in said inner member for engagement therewith, thereby locking said inner member to said outer plate, and a locking element integrally joined to said inner member and being bent into locking engagement with said handle that further projects through the opening in said inner member, wherein said handle ,is locked to said inner member, said outer plate and said inner member being located on opposite sides of a wall support and being secured thereto by the interengagement of said lugs with said inner member, said inner member, including opposed depressions that are located adjacent to the opening therein and that receive the projecting lugs of said outer plate, said depressions having a configuration that corresponds to that of said lugs, wherein said lugs are snugly received in said depressions.

2. In a fastening assembly for securing the end of an elongated strap to a wall, wherein said wall has an opening formed therein for receiving the strap end ,therethrough, an outer plate mounted on the outer surface of said wall and having an opening formed therein that communicates with the opening in said wall, spaced lugs formed on said outer plate and projecting through the opening in said wall, and an inner member separable from said outer plate and mounted on the inner surface of said wall, said inner member having. an opening formed therein that communicates with the openings in said wall and outer plate, said strap end projecting through the openings in said outer plate, said wall and said inner member, said inner member having a locking element joined thereto that is bent into locking engagement with the strap end that projects through the openings in said wall, outer plate and inner member, wherein said strap is locked to said inner member, the lugs on said outer plate being bendable into engagement with said inner member for securing said outer plate and inner member in interconnecting relation on opposed sides of said wall.

3. In a fastening assembly as set forth in claim 2, said inner member including a plate in which the opening in the inner member'is formed, a locking finger joined to the inner member plate and depending therefrom, said locking finger being reversely bent to define a channel with said inner member plate for receiving the strap end therein, the edge of the reversely bent locking finger biting into the strap end to lock it to said inner member.

4. In 'a fastening assembly as set forth in claim 3, the lugs formed on said outer plate being struck out therefrom to define the opening therein.

5. In a fastening assembly as set forth in claim 4, 'said lugs being bent in opposite directions in the assembled position thereof on said wall to engage the surfaces of the plate of said inner member that, are located adjacent thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,437,099 3/1948 Krupp 33 2,753,106 7/1956 Baillard et al. 22952 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,105,401 6/1955 France.

86,013 4/ 1936 Sweden.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. 

2. IN A FASTENING ASSEMBLY FOR SECURING THE END OF AN ELONGATED STRAP TO A WALL, WHEREIN SAID WALL HAS AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN FOR RECEIVING THE STRAP END THERETHROUGH, AN OUTER PLATE MOUNTED ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID WALL AND HAVING AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN THAT COMMUNICATES WITH THE OPENING IN SAID WALL, SPACED LUGS FORMED ON SAID OUTER PLATE AND PROJECTING THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID WALL, AND AN INNER SURFACE OF SAID SAID OUTER PLATE AND MOUNTED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID WALL, SAID INNER MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN THE COMMUNICATES WITH THE OPENINGS IN SAID WALL AND OUTER PLATE, SAID STRAP END PROJECTING THROUGH THE OPENINGS IN SAID OUTER PLATE, SAID WALL AND SAID INNER MEMBER, SAID INNER MEMBER HAVINGL A LOCKING ELEMENT JOINED THERETO THAT IS BENT INTO LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE STRAP END THAT PROJECTS THROUGH THE OPENINGS IN SAID WALL, OUTER PLATE AND INNER MEMBER, WHEREIN SAID STRAP IS LOCKED TO SAID INNER MEMBER, THE LUGS ON SAID OUTER PLATE BEING BENDABLE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID INNER MEMBER FOR SECURING SAID OUTER PLATE AND INNER MEMBER IN INTERCONNECTING RELATION ON OPPOSED SIDES OF SAID WALL. 